Shade-roller-operating mechanism



Jah. 5, i926. 1,568,203

L. A. BERNARD SHADE ROLLER OPERATING MECHANISM Filed April a, 1924 Patented Jan. `5, 1926.

- UNITED STATES LON A. BERNARD, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

SHADEeROLLER-UPERTING MECHANISM.

Application filed April 3, 1924. Serial No. 703,981.

lTo all 20720721.- z't may concern Be it known that I. LoN A. BERNARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Shade-Roller-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a. shade roller operating mechanism and hasfor its principal object to provide a simple and leilicient means for raising and lowering a window shade, means being providedy for holding the window shade in the proper adjusted position.

A further objectof the invention is to provide a window shade roller operating mechanism of the above mentioned character, which obviates the necessity of employing the usual spring mechanism in connection with the shade roller and further obviates the necessity of having to handle and soil the window shade whenever it is desired to raise or lower the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable and furthermore adapted for the purposes for which it is designated.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing formin a part of this specication and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure l is a side elevation of my invention showing the operating lever in its normal position.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the dog of the actuating lever out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. p

Figure 3 is a top plan` view of my invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the winding wheel and a supporting means therefor, and

Figure 5 is a detail elevational view of the ratchet wheel.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l designates a shade roller of any well known construction and adapted to be supported thereon in the usual manner is the window shade 2. Supported in one end of the shade roller 1 is the screw threaded end of a suitable shaft 3. The outer end thereof extends beyond the end of the shade roller and the eXtremeouter end 4 of the shaft is journaled in a suitable supporting bracket 5 which is fastened to the supporting structure such as a window casing or the like, in any suitable manner as illustrated at 6.

Adapted to be supported on the outwardly extending portion of the shaft 3 is the sleeve 7 and also supported on the outwardly eX- tending portion of the shaft 3 and disposed between the inner end of the sleeve and the outer end of the shade roller 1 is a disc 8. The portion of the shaft adjacent the outer end of the sleeve 7 is substantially flattened as is illustrated at 9 and the purpose thereof is to provide a means for supporting thereon the ratchet wheel 10. As is clearly illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawing, the ratchet wheel 10 is provided with a substantially rectangular shaped opening 11 to cooperate with theI flattened portion 9 of the shaft 3 so as to prevent rotary movement of the ratchet wheel around the shaft. The provision of the disc 8 and the ratchet wheel 10 together with the sleeve 7 provides what I term a winding reel and the purpose thereof will hereina ter be more fully described.

Pivotally supported in the outer end of the bracket 5 in the manner as shown at 12 in the drawing is the lever 13. Any suitable means may be provided for pivotally supporting the lever on the bracket 5, such as employing a rivet or by further having the lever 13 provided with an integral pin adapted to be received in a suitable opening in the bracket. However, I do not wish to limit myself to the particular manner 1n which the lever is to be supported on the bracket for the purposes of carrying out the objects of the present invention. The inner end of the lever 13 is enlarged and provides a weight 14 for the purpose of counter-balancing the lever. Extending laterally from the intermediate portion of the lever 13 adjacent the weighted portion 111 thereof is the dog 15 and the same 1s so arranged as to normally engage the ratchet teeth of the ratchet wheel 10 in the manner as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings. The outer end of the leyer 13 is also provided with a lateral extension 16 which is disposed substantiallyc below the winding reel and the extension 1s provided with an elongated slot 17 therein in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawing.

Secured at one end to the sleeve 7 and the shaft 3 supporting the same is the winding cord or cable 18. rlhe free end of the cable 18 is adapted to extend through the slot 17 in the lateral extension 16.

Normally the weight 14 causes the dog 15 of the pivoted lever 13 to engage the ratchet wheel 10 and when it is desired to lower the curtain, a slight pull on the cord 18 will disengage the dog on the lever 13 from engagement with the ratchet wheel and will allow the curtainrto roll. As the curtain unrolls, the cord is wound around the sleeve of the winding reel. The release of the cord allows the curtain to stop wherever desired, and as is obvious, when the cord is released the dog 15 will again move into engagement with the ratchet wheel. W'hen it is desired to raise the curtain, a downward pull on the cord exerts a pressure on the slotted end or lateral eX- tension 1G of the lever 13 and disenga ges the dog from the ratchet wheel in the manner illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing. This operation unwinds the cord from the sleeve of the winding reel, causing the curtain rollerk to rotate and roll up the curtain thereon. Releasing the pressure on the cord allows the dog to again return to its normal position whereby the same will engage the ratchet wheel and lock the shade roller against rotary movement.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, that a window shade roller operating mechanism has been provided which will eliminate the necessity of employing springs in connection with the shade roller, and furthermore the construction of my device enables the same to be easily secured in position on the roller and the operation thereof will at all times be positive. The simplicity of my device further more enables the same to be manufactured at a very low cost and will further be streng and durable. The provision of a window shade roller operating mechanism of the character described also eliminates the necessity of having to handle the window shades, thus preventing the soiling thereof as well as preventing any possibility of tearing the same from the shade roller.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of Ithe appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is A shade roller operating device including` a shaft adapted to be fixed to a roller and provided at a point beyond the end of the roller with parallel plane surfaces, a sleeve mounted upon the shaft, a ratchetwheel having a substantially rectangular shaped opening which receives the parallel surfaces of the shaft, a bracket receiving'the end of the shaft, a lever pivoted upon the bracket and having a dog adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel, the lever having an angularly disposed slotted extension, and

a cable passing through the slot of the eX- tension and adapted towind upon the sleeve. In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LON A. BERNARD. 

